Job Opportunities at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) - 3 Positions

Job Description

go to method of application »

The position

The appointee will help to ensure that we are using best practice and current state of the art to ensure that we are capturing data as efficiently as possible, extracting the maximum value from it and making it available in a useful form to our stakeholders. The appointee will be expected to provide initial development and proof of principle of novel systems and to work with senior scientists to ensure that project data staff are using best practice.

The appointee will report directly the LiveGene program leader and will be explicitly tasked with ‘horizon scanning’ to look for emerging information technologies to help ILRI achieve its mandate. They will not become part of the routine support for any particular project but they will identify and break information bottlenecks and ensure that our systems are sustainable, robust and scalable and that they meet our present and anticipated needs.  They will be expected to provide guidance and support for additional recruitments in the data systems field to help us to build a dynamic, effective and agile data team.

KeyResponsibilities

Key responsibilities:

• Advise senior scientists on strategic data systems architecture to ensure scalable and sustainable data solutions that meet the needs of ILRI and LiveGene’s research
• Prototype novel tools and bring them to bear on ILRI’s data needs before handing them on for routine implementation and maintenance.
  • For example, we imagine urgent evaluation of the potential of tools such as Tensor flow, natural language processing, chatbots, serverless systems, graph databases, cloud-based APIs etc to our data sets. We imagine a subset of these and others being prototyped with real data very rapidly.
• Help transition prototyped tools into “production” environments. Will involve advising/overseeing strategies for:
  • Monitoring and alerting
  • (Auto) scaling for availability
  • Logging
  • Deployment
  • Data security (in compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CGIAR’s Open Data policy)
• Support, mentor and inspire other coders
• Assist with troubleshooting of existing data pipelines
• Establish systems for monitoring our infrastructure, eg to detect intrusions, performance degradation, anomalous behavior etc
• Maintain excellent records of all work, especially with respect to code versioning and systems architecture
• Provide specialist non-routine systems administration and advice
• Initiate specialist systems setup – eg of serverless systems and deliver them to the point at which they are maintainable by project staff
• Create and inspire a cross-program data innovations community of practice

Requirements

• A first degree in computer science plus relevant post graduate experience.
• At least 5 years of relevant work experience.
• Advanced database (MySQL and PostgreSQL) skills
• Advanced linux systems skills
• Experienced in the use of Git for managing complex projects
• A solid background in software programming
• Experience of developing innovative and scalable solutions in an intensive, action-oriented environment
• Ability to inspire and lead others
• Effective communicator

Terms of Appointment

These are Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position; based at Nairobi, Kenya and open to Kenyan nationals only. The position is on a 3-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Job Level

This position is job level 3B, ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes; pension, medical and other insurances for ILRI’s Nationally Recruited Staff.

go to method of application »

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Technician - Environment, Occupational, Health and Safety (EOHS) – Operations to provide technical assistance in the EOHS unit at ILRI.

ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centres dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org

Key Responsibilities

Pest Control and Waste Management

• Coordinate and supervise pest control and treatment
• Respond to reported pest incidents
• Keep all necessary records for pest control and treatment
• Coordinate and supervise periodic waste pick up for different waste categories
• Maintain records and necessary data on waste produced and disposed
• Conduct inspections and waste audits
• Carry out waste management awareness

Emergency Response

• Coordinate and supervise periodic maintenance, servicing and testing of firefighting and fire detection equipment
• Conduct weekly inspections of firefighting and fire detection equipment, and evacuation routes
• Respond to fire incidents and keep record of all reported fire incidents
• Conduct periodic first aid boxes’ audit and replenishments
• Coordinate quarterly first aiders and fire marshal’s meetings
• Prepare incident reports for reported incidents and participate in incident investigations

Kitchen Hygiene and Food Safety

• Conduct weekly kitchen and other food facilities inspections
• Sample all foods served on a daily basis
• Investigate all reported food related complaints
• Ensure all food handlers and food facilities adhere to hygiene principles

Water Quality

• Conduct daily microbiological fresh water analysis
• Conduct weekly sampling and analysis of effluent
• Coordinate monthly fresh water sampling by a contracted service provider
• Coordinate quarter effluent sampling by a contracted service provider
• Review water analysis results and make recommendations
• Coordinate and supervise water tanks cleaning

Ergonomics

• Conduct ergonomic assessments and implement recommendations
• Induct staff on how to use ergonomic workstations provided

Training & participation in various committees

• Conduct EOHS induction training for new staff, students, visitors and contractors
• Conduct internal EOHS trainings and awareness as may be required
• Secretary to the health and safety representatives committee
• Coordinate activities of the safety representatives committee include appointments, meetings, incident investigations, trainings and any other activities as may be required.

EOHS Reporting & Record keeping

• Collate and trend data on energy, water and waste periodically.
• Prepare periodic reports as may be required.
• Receive and respond to queries that come through EOHS helpdesk on a timely basis
• Maintain and update EOHS documents and ensure latest versions are in circulation
• Create and maintain accurate traceable filing system (soft and hard copies) for all EOHS records

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree preferably in environment or occupational health and safety or any other related field
• Must have a minimum of 1 year of experience in environment management and or occupational health and safety management
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Strong interpersonal and good communication skills and ability to effectively interact with all levels of the organization 
• Ability to solve a wide range of problems with support from other EOHS professional staff
• Proficient in MS Office

Terms of Appointment

This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position based at ILRI’s Nairobi campus. It is open to Kenyan nationals only. The position is on a 3-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.